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Rampant violence and poverty in Central America are driving thousands of children and families from their homes, forcing them to make a long, dangerous journey northward in search of a better life in Mexico or the U.S. But the journey is a perilous one, especially for children.
Young people are more vulnerable to threats like hunger, dehydration and exhaustion, and they’re easy prey for traffickers and other criminals. Even when children cross a border into safety, they often endure additional trauma as they are apprehended, detained and often deported. Meanwhile, without the energy and dreams of young people to move them forward, the communities left behind continue to cope with the same social, political and economic problems year after year – and children and families continue to be subjected to the whims of violent criminal gangs.
The emotional trauma Central American refugees face won’t go away soon or easily, and news of their plight has rocked the world. But your support can help us address these problems at their roots and ensure that children who do leave their homes stay safe along their journey.
Your gift to our Emergency Action Fund today will help strengthen the many ChildFund programs in Central America and Mexico that address the root causes of why people migrate: endemic violence, deep poverty and lack of opportunity, among others. It will also fuel our Protected Passage program, which aims to protect children along migratory routes. Operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, the program is improving the services provided to children during migration and creating safe spaces in often dangerous environments – like the shelter you see in the video below.
Your gift will help us provide …
As always, we’re working with children and families to help them create the lives they want and need right where they are. But when children become refugees, they need our support more than ever. Give today to help protect some of the most vulnerable children and families among us.